Agenda and minutes

Noted.

The minutes of the meeting of the Commissioning Body held on 30 June 2011 were agreed as a true record.  

The Commissioning Body noted for information the minutes of the meeting of the Core Strategy Group held on 13 September 2011.

(1) The Commissioning Body received a presentation by Melanie Anthony. This presentation used a case study as an example of the help and support available from a number of support agencies, both in the public and private sectors.

(2) During the course of the presentation members of the Commissioning Body asked a number of questions of detail following which the Commissioning Body thanked Melanie Anthony for her detailed and enlightening presentation.

(Michaela Hupe, a Solicitor with KCC was present for this item)

(1) Dover District Council had asked whether district/borough members attending meetings of the Commissioning Body were covered by any form of indemnity.

(1)  Michaela Hupe, a solicitor with KCC, confirmed to the meeting that under the Local Authorities (Indemnities for Members and Officers) Order 2004 an authority is able to provide an indemnity or insurance for its members but not for members of other authorities. Therefore the responsibility lies with each District, Borough and/or City Council for its respective elected members attending the Commissioning Body to secure such indemnity and/or insurance.

(2)  Resolved that the advice be noted and acted upon as appropriate by each member body represented on the Commissioning Body.

(Report by Angela Slaven, KCC Director of Service Improvement)

(1) This report provided a summary of the performance of the programme against targets set by the Commissioning Body.

(2) The programme was showing improvement against Key Performance Indicators, and a scoping paper outlining the key strategic issues likely to affect future performance would be brought to the next Commissioning Body meeting in January 2012.

(Report by Angela Slaven, KCC Director of Service Improvement)

(1) This report provided the second quarterly assessment of the impact of the reduction in capacity of floating support services following the non-renewal of district and borough based floating support contracts. The report advised members of the Commissioning Body of the proposed arrangements for the transition from existing to new services in 2012/13.

(2)  During the course of discussion members raised a number of points of detail to which officers responded accordingly.

(3) Following discussion the Commissioning Body noted the contents of the report, and agreed to:

(i)   the proposed transition arrangements for the existing and new services

(ii) a report being submitted to the Commissioning Body at its meeting in January 2012 recommending revised principles upon which floating support would operate in the future

(Report by Angela Slaven, KCC Director of Service Improvement)

(1) This report detailed a proposal that short term supported housing referrals should be managed through a centralised referral mechanism within the Kent Home Choice system.

(2) During the course of discussion members of the Commissioning Body raised a number of points of detail to which officers responded accordingly.

(3) On the basis that, in advance of it’s implementation, officers agreed to bring to a future meeting a report on how the centralised referral mechanism would work,  the Commissioning Body agreed that:

(i)                 the Kent Home Choice system be utilised to deliver a centralised referral mechanism for short term accommodation based supported housing services

(ii)               the Supporting People Programme seeks the agreement of the Kent Home Choice Board to the usage of their reserves if costs exceed £1,000

(Report by Angela Slaven, KCC Director of Service Improvement)

(1)   This report detailed the findings of a strategic review of Home Improvement Agencies (HIA) and Handyperson services, and a proposal to tender 12 separate HIA and Handyperson services contracts within the individual districts/boroughs as one tendering exercise.

(2) During the course of discussion members of the Commissioning Body raised a number of points of detail to which officers responded accordingly, including clarifying that contracts would have to meet the requirements of KCC Procurement as KCC would hold legal liability. It was also agreed that consideration would be given to the involvement in the tendering process of two district/borough councils who were not themselves tendering for any contracts.

(3) The Commissioning Body agreed to the tendering of all HIA and Handyperson services for new contracts to be let in time for their commencement in April 2012 on a district by district basis. The Commissioning Body also noted that representatives from two district/borough councils not involved in the tendering process would be invited to be part of the team assessing each tender.

(Report by Angela Slaven, KCC Director of Service Improvement)

(1) This report detailed the Supporting People commissioning team’s projected financial outturn and balance held on reserves for 2011/12 (as at August 2011) and, on the basis of a forecast under-spend, proposed offsetting this by bringing forward the commencement date of the new floating support service to February 2012.

(2) The Commissioning Body noted the estimated outturn to March 2012, and agreed that the new floating support service should commence from February 2012.

Noted.

(1) Cllr Tony Austin requested a report for the next meeting on extra care sheltered housing, the proposed reductions in funding, progress on implementing the reductions including joint assessments that had taken place and their findings, and what was being put in place to deal with the cost reductions by Canterbury City Council, Families and Social Care, and Supporting People.

(2) Angela Slaven indicated that KCC was currently in a 30 day consultation regarding proposals to bring together the Supporting People and KDAAT commissioning teams under one Head of Service (strategic commissioning role). A decision was likely early in December 2011, and members of the Commissioning Body were invited to submit any views they may have on the proposals. Angela Slaven stressed that KCC would not underestimate the specialist knowledge required in both areas, and that the re-organisation was about streamlining KCC’s own management structures.      

Thursday 26 January 2012, Darent Room, Sessions House, Maidstone

Commencing at 2:00PM.

The next meeting of the Commissioning Body would be held on Thursday 26 January 2012, at Sessions House, County Hall commencing at 2.00 PM.